MECHANIZED RIFLE REGIMENT POB 6671 IN ASZOD AND MECHANIZED DIVISION IN ESZTERGOM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001700630002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 16, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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ApitedadiFICARkiktadMintreat: CIA-RDP80-00810A001700254XtA-2
sEcuRITY INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
TOPIC-) Mechanized Rifle Reeiment FOB 6671 in Aszod and Mechanized Division
25X1A
A
In Eszteraom.
EVALUATION
DATEOF CONTI
DATE OBTAINEE
REFERENCES_
PAGES 7
REMARKS
ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE) 1 - one standard manpower questionnaire on ditto
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(antraLlntamatkau.
1. Prior to 9 October 1952, Mecz Rifle Regt FOB 6671, which, in October 1950, was
given its cover number replacing the designation of "15th Mecz Rifle Recta,
whieL had frequently been used previously by officers, was stationed at Aszod
(Q 48/H 83). The regiment was quartered in two old barracks installations, one
on the north side of the road to Hatvan (Q 48/J 03), directly west of the field
railway to Kartal (Q 48/H 93) and one on the southeast side of the Kartal road.
Officers and NCOs said that the regiment was subordinate to the headquarters of
a mechanized division in Esztergom (Q 48/2 27). 1
2. During division maneuvers in the fall of 1951, source learned from soldiers of
other units that the engineer battalion, the signal battalion, the SP artillery
battalion, the motor transport unit, the medical unit and the tank repair shop
of the mechanized division were stationed at Esztergom? the tank regiment at
the camp near Esztergom, the reconnaissance battalion at Miskolc (A 49/3 TT),
the otber mechanized regiment at Filiscsaba (Q 48/11 34), one howite;er unit at
Retsag (Q 48/H 67) and one artillery or AAA unit at Fetervasara (Q 49/J 37).
The tank regiment was equipped with improved T-34 tanks, the SP artillery
battalion with Model SU-76 SP guns, and the howitzer unit with 122-mm howitzers.
The mechanized division in Esztergom was subordinate to the tank army corps
located in the former Perk Hotel on Baross Square in Budapest. 2
gegan_izeetlen..
3. The Mechanized Rifle Regiment FOB 6671 included the regimental headquarters;
regimental units such as the signal platoon, the heavy mortar company, the
field artillery battery, the AA machine gun company and the gas-defense pla-
toonvand the I, II and III Mecz Bns and the tank battalion. The regimental
headquarters and the three mechanized battalions were located in the barracks
installation on the road to Hatvan. The regimental units and the tank battalion
were quartered in the barracks installation on the road to Kartal. Prior to
the fall of 1950, the regiment excluding the III Bn and one tank company was
stationed at Retsag. The III Bn and one tank company were stationed at Peter-
vasara.
4. The regimental headquarters, which numbered 27 officers, 22 NCOs and 108 EM,
Included the regimental command group, the supply groups, the motor trans-
port group and the finance section.
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5. Personnel assigned to the regimental command group also included one regimental
commander, one regimental adjutant, one clerk (sergeant), one orderly, one
political officer, one propaganda officer, one educational officer, one head-
quarters commander, one operation officer, one training officer, one statistics
officer, one statistics sergeant, one personnel officer, who also prepared
mobilization plans, one regimental signal officer, one regimental artillery
commander, one counter-intelligence officer, one sergeant in charge of the
classified-material office, one clerk assigned to the classified-material
office, one reconnaissance officer, one sports officer, one secretary in charge
of card files who held officer's rank, one secretary of the Association of
Working Juveniles who also held officer's rank, and one army post officer.
6. The supply group included the supply officer with a supply sergeant; the ration
supply depot with one mess director, one clerk, one sergeant in charge of the
depot administration, one private functioning as assistant and 10 to 14 cooks;
the clothing depot with one clothing director, one clerk, one sergeant in charge
of the depot administration, two privates functioning as assistants and six tai-
lors and six shoemakers; the ammunition depot with one munitions officer, one
clerk, one sergeant in charge of the depot administration and one private func-
tioning as an assistant; the ordnance depot with four'crMbrer-artifieer sergeanti;
and the dispensary with one chief physician, two assistant physicians, three
medical sergeants, nine medical corps privates and two clerks. The dispensary had
one ambulance.
7. The motor transport group included the motor transport officer, his adjutant
and two clerks; the fuel depot with one Oergeant4n charge of the depot ad-
ministration and one clerk; the motor vehicle repair shop with one repair
director, two maintenance technical sergeants and a varying number of motor
vehicle mechanics; and the motor transport platoon of the regiment with one
officer and 40 to 50 drivers which was equipped with about 50 motor vehicles.
The motor transport officer was responsible for the motor vehicles of the
regiment and the drivers training.
8. The finance section was staffed with the officer in charge of the section and
one officer and one sergeant.
9. The regimental !signal platoon included one officer, who was the platoon leader,
and three squads, which operated three radio stations and one telephone centrO.
and were equipped with field wire.
10. The heavy mortar company was organized into the company headquarters and three
heavy mortar platoons and totaled 6 officers and about 60 N0Os and EM. Each
platoon included one platoon leader and three heavy mortar squads. The number
of the 120-mm mortars was unidentified.
11. The field artillery battery numbered 50 to 60 men and was equipped with six
76-am AT guns-,
12. The AA machine gun company numbered about 100 men and was equipped with
12 x 12.7-mm AA machine guns.
13. The gas-defense platoon numbered one officer and about 25 men. Missions assigned
to the platoon included the protection of the regiment in the event of the
application of volatile and ground contaminating chemical agents and the opera-
tion of the regimental gas chamber.
14. In the fall of 1951, the reconnaissance company of the regiment, which was
equipped with motorcycles, was allegedly detached for training to the re-
connaissance battalion in Miekolc.
15. Each of the three mechanized battalions was -organized into the battalion head-
quarters, the signal platoon, the submachine gun platoon, the AT gun platoon,
two mechanized rifle companies, one mechanized machine gun company and one
mechanized mortar company.
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16. The headquarters of each battalion was staffed with the battalion commander, the
deputy battalion commander, the adjutant, the political officer, the counter-
intelligence officer, the motor transport officer, the technical service director,
one officer functioning as Party secretary, one first sergeant, three clerks and
one messenger, and numbered 7 officers, 2 NCOs and 4 EM.
17. The signal platoon of each battalion numbered ono officer and about 18 radio
and telephone operators.
18. The submachine gun platoon included one officer, whsewas the platoon leader, one
deputy platoon leader and three squads and numbered about 30 men.
19. The AT gun platoon included one platoon leader and two AT gun squads, each equipped
with two 57-mm AT runs, and numbered one officer and about 17 men.
20. The rifle company was organized into the company headquarters, three rifle pla-
toons and one-heavy machine gun platoon and had an actual strength of about
5 officers, 14 NCOs and 71 EM excluding drivers.
21. The company headquarters was staffed with one eompany commander, one political
officer, one first sergeant, one clerk and tao drivers.
22. The rifle platoon included one platoon leader and three rifle squads each number-
ing one squad leader and 7 EM equipped with one light machine gun.
23. The heavy machine gun platoon included one platoon leader and two heavy machine
gun squads each numbering one squad leader and 6 EM equipped with one heavy
machine gun.
24. The machine gun company was organized into three platooas each equipped with three
heavy machine guns and numbered about 80 men.
25. The mortar company was organized into three platoens each equipped with three
82-mm mortars. 3
aattur.a.L.,Enka.
26. Officers identified in connection with the unit included Major Pal Fueloep,
regimental commander, about 40 years old; Major Koncz (fnu), previous regimental
commander, about 40 years old; Senior Lieutenant Lajos Meszler, political officer
of the regiment, about 27 years old; Major flargat (fnu)?operations officer of
the regiment, about 40 years old; Major Palinkas (fnu), regimental staff officer,
32 years old; Major Takacs (fnu), motor transport officer of the regiment, abnut
45 years old; Captain Sadi (fnu), company commander, about 35 years old; Captain
Rosza (fnu), of unidentified assignment, about 30 years old; Captain Csizek (fnu),
regimental adjutant; Captain Nadasti (fnu), commander, of the regimental mortar
company, 30 years old; Medical Corps Captain Dr Komadi (fnu), regimental physician;
Major Supka (fnu)? pol,Lical officer of the division; and Major General Uszta (fnu)
commanding general of the tank corps, about 50 years old, who, in 194, was the
leader of a group of partisans and spoke fluent Russian. 4
aduaamand_kAment.
27. Weapons used by the regiment included small arms and Model M/48 machine guns,
Soviet-type egg-shaped and cilindrical hand grenades and old Hungarian-type stick
hand grenades.
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28. The weapons of each rifle company included 31 pistols, 37 rifles, 9 light
machine guns, 27 submachine guns, 2 heavy machine guns and 9 rifles with
telescopic sights. The squad leader and 2 men of each rifle squad were equipped
with submachine guns, 3 men with rifles, 1 man with a rifle with a telescopic
sight, and the light machine gunner and the driver with pistols. The platoon
leader carried a pistol. The platoon leader, the machine gunner and the Gun
mount carrier of the machine gun platoon were equipped with pistols, while
the other men carried rifles. The members of the staff of the company head-
quarters were equipped with pistols, except for the company clerk, who carried
a rifle.
29. Officers said that the tank battalion of the regiment was equipped with Soviet-
-made improved T-34 tanks. Source saw barrels without muzzle brakes projecting
about 3.5 meters from the turrets of the tanks.
30. In the summer of 1952, the regiment was equipped with a new Soviet-made gas
mask, consisting of mask body, and linen-made carrier with air filter and
connecting hose. The mask body was made of rubber and covered the entire head.
The filter had a life of 12 hours.
31. Since the planned motor vehicle equipment, which was scheduled to include one
mapona,earrier per squad, was not yet available, two trucks per platoon, mainly
3-ton GAZ/51 trucks, were used instead.
32. Clothes received by each man of the unit included one denim summer cap and one
Soviet-style winter cap of fabric, two Model M/51 gimnastorkas or one gimnastorka
and one denim blouse, two Soviet-style breeches or one pair of breeches and one
pair of denim trousers, one pair of boots, one old overcoat with or without sleeve
cuffs or one Soviet-cut Model M/52 overcoat. Drivers had a dark-blue protective
suit of coarse linen and, in the fall of 1952, received Soviet-styled quilted
clothing.
33. In the fall of 1952, all men of the regiment wore blue service color with
appropriate arms insignia. The men of the motor transport groups had a
hammer-and-vice emblem.
Training..
34. Training in the first 6 months included 6 weeks of basic training, 6 weeks of
training at squad level, 6 weeks of training at platoon level and 6 weeks of
training atcompany level; and, in the second 6 months, 6 weeks of exercises
at platoon and company level, 1 weeks of exercises at battalion and regimental
level and 2 weeks of division maneuvers. Training directives prepared by the re-
gimental -operations office for each training period demanded that the company
commander draw up and submit to the battalion- commander a detailed weekly train-
ing program for approval. Except for inspections, no daily training programs
were prepared by the platoon and squad leaders who, instead at night, after
office hours discussed with the platoon leaders the training to be performed
on the following dey,
35. The squad leader entered the marks achieved by each man, in individual practices
in a training diary with printed farms, the rating system of which included marks
from 1 to 6, with mark 6 representing the beet classification. The platoon
leader kept a similar, but more extensive book. The company commander filed a
statistical report based on these records on each training period. These statisti-
cal reports were processed by the regimental operations office into a diagram
specifying the company which had achieved the best training results and was
awarded the challenge banner of the regiment.
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36. In the summer of 1951, the daily duty schedule which became effective on the
date of the new technical manual on interior duty, guard duty and discipli-.
nary affairs read as follow:
05:00
05:05
05:30
06:00
06:15
06:30
06:45
07;00
01:00
01:30
02:00
03;25
03:45
04:00
05:45
06;00
06:00
a.m. reveille
to 05:30 a.m.
to 06:00 a.m.
to 06:15 a.m.
to 06:30 a.m.
to 06:45 a.m.
to 07:00 a.m.
a.m. to 01:00
to 01:30 p.m.
to 02:00 p.m.
to 03:25 p.m.
to 03;45 p.m.
to 04:00 p.m.
to 05:45 p.m.
to 06:00 p.m.
p.m.
to 08:00 p.m.
08:00 to 10:00 p.m.
10:00 p.m.
(summer and winter alike
gymnastics
washing and dressing
roll call by squads
breakfast
preparation of equipment
regimental roll call
p.m. outdoor training
care of weapons
lunch
noon break
preparation of equipment
guard mount
duty in barracks and indoctrination
care of weapons and equipment
handing over of duty
educational activities
cussion on training
supper and off-duty
taps.
and preparatory die-
From 07:00 to 09:00 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, political in-
doctrination was held before the troops left their billets. During the winter
half-year, the duty schedule on Saturdays was as follows:
07:00 to 08:00 a.m. press review
08:00 a.m. to 01:00 p.m. maintenance of ordnance and equipment
02:00 to 04:00 p.m0 roll calls
04:00 to 08:00 or 11:00 p.m, off-duty and leave
MOO p.m. taps.
In summer, the troops would also march out on Saturdays, reveille was at
06:00 a.m0 and no duty was done during the day, but soldiers were allowed to
leave billets not before 02:00 p.m.
37. From 1 May to 5 October 1952, the regiment was in the summer camp near Kesztoelc
(Q 48/11 35) and then engaged in a 10-day division maneuver. Source was unable
to furnish information on this period as he did not participate in the training
at the summer camp and in the division maneuver.
38. During the 1951 and 1952 summer half-years, members of the 1921 to 1928 classes
were called successively to exercises to receive short-time training and re-
training at a summer camp near Eger (R 48/J 55) for an average period of 2 months.
Source gathered this information from instruction personnel of his regiment
detached to Eger Camp.
-0,tfaug'1411.9.D....2LS.1.1.1.9.2/11NrilfttkeiLipatHeRgaMts
39. Party activities at the regiment were directed by. the Party secretary of the
regiment, who controled the Party secretaries of the battalions and the dis-
ciplinary secretary of the regiment. Party organizations of individual units
were controled by the Party organization of the next superior headquarters
rather than the local Party organization.
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40. The, political officers of the regiment, the battalions and the comparies
worked- in addition to, and independently of, the Party secretaries. At
Company level the political officer organieed a network of confidants for the
surveillance of platoons and squads. The political officer of the regiment
directly controled the propaganda chief, the educational officer, the educe-
eepert, the studio administrator and the operator of the motion-picture
projector.
41. The Party secretary and the political officer ranked with the commanding officer
and shared his responsibility for the unit.
gagegelgenegePersonnel and Morale.
42. In the summer of 1952, the men serving with the regiment included members of
the 1928 class, who were inducted in the fall of 1949 and in May 1950; defer-
ments of the 1925 through 1927 classes, who were promoted to the rank of
sergeant and therefore were retained beyond the fall of 1951; the 1929 class
which was drafted in the fall of 1950; elements of the 130 class; the re-
mainders of the 1930 class inducted in the fall of 1951; and the 1931 class.
In the fall of 1951, the inductees for the first time were checked for origin
and political reliability. Source learned from comrades that, at that time,
the first labor battalions were activated from political unreliables. 5
43. The =wale of the EM serving for 2 years was low as they were aware that
others of their class had to do only a training course of 2 months. The
morale of the NCOs who were forcibly retained also was low. The number of
NOOs and EM who iioluirk40ied'as officer candidates constantly decreased despite
intensive propaganda. While about 10 percent of NCOs and EM had volunteered
in 1951, 'only three men of the whole regiment volunteered in 1952. The officer
corps resented that EM inducted in 1950, who were considered reliable and well-
-indoctrinated by the Party held a political seminary for officers promoted
in 1947 and 1948, and made reports on these officers who were but little in-
doctrinated..
44, The The quality of food rations became worse. Complaints on deficiencies and
bad quality of rations were frequent occurrences.
45= Each private received a monthly pay of 66TorintNwith 50 percent of this
amount paid out on the 1st and the 15th day of the month.
46. Annual leave for EMs was 12 days, except fur those serving their first year. Be-
sides, NCOs and EM were granted about five days holiday leaves at Christmas
or Easter. On the furlough certificate the Hungarian State Railways grantee
a 75 percent reduction. The men were also given short-time passes authorizing
stay outside the 6-km circuit around the barracks installation to which they
were usually confined. No reduction of fare was granted on these short-time
furlough certificates.
47. Every soldier on active duty held a red identity card signed by the company
commander. After the summer of 1951, soldiers leaving the barracks installation
were also required to carry an identification tag, which was called bileta
and was usually kept by the first sergeant. The tag was a piece of bronze-
-colored sheet metal, about 5 cm square and 1 mm thick, with a hole for a
neck cord in one of its corners. When checked in the city, the soldiers had
to produce both identity and identification tags.
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1.The present report substantiates and supplements previous
t
reports on one regiment, the 15th Mecz Regt, stationed at Aszod. The head-
quarters of the 7th Mecz Div is stationed at Esztergom. .
at t. In view of a previous report the mechani9;edt Piliscsaba presumably is the 8th Mcz Regt. rpalmAnt 0+1t.yried
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subordination of the 7th Mecz Div in Esztergom 'co .cne army corps headquarters
4'
in the former Park Hotel in Budapest is confirmed by the present report. The
army corps is believed to be the XI Mecz Corps.
Comment. The organization of the mechanized regiment given in the present
report is patterned after the Soviet model as is indicated, for instance, by
the integration of a tank battalion. Variations from the Soviet pattern are
presumably predicated upon from the actual state of activation. .
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Lit. Major General Uszta, who is reported to be the commanding general
of the tank army corps (XI Mecz Corps), was mentioned in a previous report.
L____LSoroatate According to the present report, the members of each of the 1928
to 1931 classes were inducted 6 months later than the members of the correspond-
ing classes in the USSR. The induction and assignment to labor battalions of
political unreliables was previously reported.
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